The Two Flaggtowns

Those of you who have taken an interest in Hillsborough history may have picked up some erroneous information along the way, especially concerning the origins of local place names. For example, how many times have you heard that Hillsborough is so named because of its hilly contours? Or that Neshanic is a corruption of New Shannick?

1850 Somerset County Map

And what about Flagtown? A popular misconception states that Flagtown derived its name from the practice of displaying a flag at the station to signal an oncoming train to stop for passengers. That's a cute story - one that some old-timers swear by - and Hillsborough did have at least one "flag" station, Roycefield. The problem with that is Flagtown was named long before any trains rolled through our town, decades earlier! Not only that, but Flagtown isn't even where you think it is!

The heart of Flagtown/Frankfort circa 1900.
The hotel is the building on the left.

Flagtown, originally spelled "Flaggtown", was named for 18th century Hillsborough resident and landowner Jacob Flagg. Around 1800, Flagg owned property - and a tavern - near where the YMCA is located today, at the corner of South Branch Road and East Mountain Road. Two centuries ago, this was the intersection of the original Amwell Road and the road to South Branch. By 1850, this crossroads village boasted at least three stores, a post office, a school near the corner of Mill Lane, and a hotel.

1860 Farm Map

The 1860 Farm Map of Hillsborough also places Flaggtown at the crossroads - and shows the hotel, as well as a store in the same spot, and in the same configuration, as today's Corner Store. In the early days of Hillsborough's history, the Township Committee often held their annual meeting at Flagg's Tavern.

1873 Map of Hillsborough

Then the railroads came. The Lehigh Valley Railroad and the South Branch of the Jersey Central each had stations near Flaggtown. Since the tracks did not actually pass through Flaggtown, the station area was named Flaggtown Station. The original Flaggtown was designated as Flaggtown Post Office to differentiate it from the new Flaggtown, and for many years they existed as two distinct villages, in much the same way as Neshanic and Neshanic Station coexist today.

21 January 1878 Monmouth Democrat

In January 1878, in order to remedy the confusion caused by having two nearby post offices containing the name Flaggtown - Flaggtown and Flaggtown Station - The US Postal Service renamed the Flaggtown Post Office to Frankfort, effectively erasing the historic village of Flaggtown from the map.

28 January 1878 Philadelphia Inquirer

Flaggtown Station lost its second "g" before the turn of the century and was soon known simply as Flagtown. The Flagtown we know today began to take shape around 1912 when the Equator Realty & Improvement Company divided the property north of the stations into lots. Take note of the price notation "AND UP" - the $49 lots were only 25 x 110. Still a bargain!

24 April 1912 The Brooklyn Citizen

Meanwhile, the old village of Flaggtwon, without the benefit of the railroad stations, diminished somewhat in importance. Eventually, the post office was moved to Flagtown and the name Frankfort became disused - although it does appear on the map below which was surveyed in the 1930s.

1945 Hagstrom Map of Somerset County

So, the next time anyone asks you about Hillsborough history, you'll be ready with at least three answers, Wills Hills, the Earl of Hillsborough, the Indian-named Neshanic River, and Jacob Flagg.